On May 2, 2024, six-year-old Benyamin Abrar was shot and killed by his father, Fahad Abrar (age 36), inside their apartment at Lake House Apartments in Hialeah, Florida. The father then killed himself in what police classified as a murder-suicide. The child's mother, Anne Marie Saint Joy, discovered the bodies when she returned home that afternoon. The family had a history of domestic violence, with the father having been physically and emotionally abusive toward the mother and isolating her from her family. The mother had previously attempted to leave in 2022 and initiated divorce proceedings, but the father convinced her to return. The father had displayed suicidal gestures and sought mental health treatment but discontinued it after two sessions. Notably, both the mother and relatives reported that the father had treated the child well and there were no prior signs of abuse toward the child.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
The fatality report states "the father shot and killed the child and then killed himself." The medical examiner report lists the injury description as "Decedent shot by father." The AOL news article states "a police radio recording indicates they were shot." The CBS article says "Both had been shot."
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The fatality report states "the father shot and killed the child." The medical examiner report describes the injury as "Decedent shot by father." This constitutes an inflicted injury via gunshot.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
The fatality report states "the father shot and killed the child and then killed himself." The AOL article quotes police: "We are currently treating this case as a murder-suicide." The CBS article headline also describes it as a "murder-suicide."
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
The fatality report identifies Fahad Abrar as the father (relationship "Father" in the family composition chart) and states "the father shot and killed the child and then killed himself." He is listed as the alleged perpetrator. The child was "born to parents Anne Marie Saint Joy and Fahad Abrar," confirming a biological relationship.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report states: "the mother reconnected with her family, and they reportedly saw signs of domestic violence." It further states: "The mother reported that the father was physically abusive with her on a few occasions, but the abuse was mostly emotional. He was controlling and manipulative."
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report states: "He was anxious at times and a few times pointed his finger to his head, gesturing shooting himself." It also notes: "He did seek mental heath treatment but quit after two sessions." These references describe the father's mental health concerns and his engagement with (and discontinuation of) mental health treatment.
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The fatality report describes a significant pattern of coercive control and escalation leading to the murder-suicide. The father isolated the mother from her extended family shortly after their 2016 marriage and "eventually changed their phone number so there would be no contact." In 2022, the mother reconnected with her family, who "saw signs of domestic violence," and she "left the father and started divorce proceedings; however, the father convinced the mother to come back and work on their relationship." The father had displayed suicidal gestures ("pointed his finger to his head, gesturing shooting himself") and sought mental health treatment but "quit after two sessions." The mother "did not think anything of it as they did not own a gun and she did not think him capable of killing himself." Both the mother and relatives reported the father "treated the child very well" and the child "was always happy and never showed any signs of abuse." This pattern of escalation from domestic violence and coercive control to family annihilation, combined with a failed attempt to leave the relationship and discontinued mental health treatment, represents a notable contextual detail for researchers studying risk factors in murder-suicide cases.
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